@whimsybreezy_guak

1. What’s your story? Where are you from?

Hi, my name is YooJin Guak and I’m currently working as a freelance illustrator and designer at my own art and design studio called Whimsy Breezy, located in Seoul, Korea. I was born and raised in Seoul until 13 years old, then I moved to Toronto, Canada where I stayed until I finished my undergraduate studies at OCADU. My family has always been my best supporter even if we were far away from each other while I was studying abroad. The biggest reason I decided to move back home was because of my supportive family.

2. Tell us about your aesthetic.

My work is all about colors, shapes, compositions, and patterns. Sometimes I make humorous and whimsical images, other times I make very serious conceptual illustrations. It all depends on what I am inspired by at the time. These days, I draw and paint immediately when I’m inspired by things I see or experienced.

3. What is your favourite medium and why?

It is hard to choose one since it’s always changing time to time. For a time I would use acrylic paint, but these days I’m really in love with watercolor. It is fascinating to see how the images turn out when you use watercolor because you have to paint very quickly and finish your piece almost all at once. Also I use watercolor straight from the tube rather than allowing it dry. This way allows me to achieve more vibrant and strong colors.

4. What is your artistic process like?

I love to research a lot of different things in the media, on the internet, browse through blogs, Instagram for inspiration. In particular I like to see a lot of things about fashion, food, travel, nature, and dogs. I then save the images or write down some phrases which I’m inspired by, and I draw straight from the images. When I’m working on projects or making conceptual images, I summarize the topic I need to work on in one sentence, and then brainstorm rough sketches and ideas.

5. Who and/or what inspires your work?

6. What role does art play in your life? How does it change the way you view the world?

I started to draw since I was very little, around 2 years old or so, and my mom’s passion for art has inspired me a lot. She’s not working in art field, but she used to paint beside her work and I was always fascinated by her painting. Art is just part of my life. I like to express my emotions and feelings through my drawings and paintings. Sometimes I try to represent them in a visual metaphor, especially when I feel down, as it helps to relieve my stress at some point. If you see some of my drawings, they can be very serious and emotional, but most of them are pretty happy and whimsical.

10. What do you hope to achieve with your art?

I would love to create images that can make people smile and give them comfort. As I feel joy and get excitement every time I have a new assignment, I hope the results of my artwork would make others feel the same way I do when they see my final work.

14. What are your hobbies?

15. If you weren’t an artist, what would you be?

May be I would be a matchmaker. haha. We have a company called Duo in Korea,
it’s the matchmaking company for the purpose of marriage, and my friends make
fun of me saying I should run Guak’s Duo. I’ve arranged a lot of blind dates for
people around and it’s just so delightful to see when they are happy together.